The African Academy of Sciences (AAS) has partnered with the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) to strengthen African scientific leadership and advance health and development goals on the continent.

Banjul, The Gambia I Wednesday 31 January 2024

Eight outstanding early career scientists from six African countries will receive training in monitoring evaluation protocols, good financial grant practice, research management and research ethics at an inception workshop taking place from 31 January - 2 February 2024 in Banjul, The Gambia. 

The African Postdoctoral Training Initiative (APTI) has organised the three-day inception workshop to equip the second cohort of APTI Fellows with the necessary skills to advocate for increased research and innovation projects in Africa. The workshop will also provide a platform for knowledge exchange and will encourage intra-Africa research collaboration.

The APTI programme was established in 2018 to strengthen research capacity in African countries and develop ongoing scientific partnerships. It does this by awarding four-year post-doctoral fellowships to early career scientists. The APTI fellows are placed in various laboratories of the U.S. National Institutes of Health for two years before returning to their home institutions in Africa for another two years of research. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s support to the postdoctoral fellows includes seed funding for their research upon their return to their home institution. The African Research Excellence Fund provides research leadership capacity strengthening support for the Fellows.

Dr Peggy Oti-Boateng, Executive Director at the African Academy of Sciences, says 
“We recognise that well-planned postdoctoral programmes are critical in promoting scientific and research excellence and leadership in Africa. This workshop provides a platform for these brilliant young researchers to network and create partnerships to advance science on the continent.”

The APTI programme targets training 30 African fellows between 2018 and 2024 with the goal to enhance the capacity of these selected fellows as scientific leaders in global health. Currently, APTI has 30 postdoctoral fellows, distributed in three cohorts of 10 each. APTI is implemented by the AAS in partnership with the NIH and BMGF.

NOTES TO EDITORS

The African Academy of Sciences 
The African Academy of Sciences (AAS) is a non-aligned, non-political, not-for-profit pan African organisation whose vision is to see transformed lives on the African continent through science. Our tripartite mandate is recognising excellence, providing advisory and think tank functions, and implementing key STI programmes addressing Africa’s developmental challenges.

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NIH Fogarty International Center 
The Center addresses global health challenges through innovative and collaborative research and training programs and supports and advances the NIH mission through international partnerships. 
For more information visit the Fogarty International Center website.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) 
NIH, the United States’ medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. 
For more information visit the NIH website.

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